Children and Youth in the New Urban Agenda

In the week following the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the General Assembly of Partners and UN-Habitat’s World Urban Campaign – the two major bodies representing an alliance of partners and engagement platforms for Habitat III - met in New York to plan its contribution to The New Urban Agenda.

As a Co-Chair of the General Assembly of Partners' Children & Youth Constituent Group and World Urban Campaign lead partner, World Vision plans to ensure that the voices of children and youth, especially the most marginalised and vulnerable, are identified and included in local, national and global processes that shape our future cities.

"The inclusion of the Urban Sustainable Development Goal - Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable - presents an opportunity to organisations like World Vision to lead and strengthen the inclusion and meaningful participation of children and youth in creating the city they need", stated Joyati Das, Senior Director of World Vision's Urban Programmes.

At a UN side event themed 'Children and Youth Participation in The New Urban Agenda' organised by UN-Habitat and the UN Major Group for Children and Youth, World Vision representative, Aline Rahbany stated, “Children and youth require meaningful spaces where they can receive tools and knowledge to influence their communities.”

“We need to make sure gender-sensitive and age appropriate strategies are in place. Traditional programmes must be modified to become more relevant to disadvantaged and vulnerable children. Special attention must be paid to reduce the obstacles to participation resulting from unequal power relations and patriarchal values."

The General Assembly of Partners met to plan its direct engagement with Habitat III, including regional and thematic conferences, Urban Thinkers Campuses and national urban campaigns, and the Habitat III policy papers. Members also discussed the outline of a “legacy document” to be drafted and launched in the lead up to Habitat III. Read the General Assembly of Partners’ New York Declaration.

In parallel, the World Urban Campaign members met to discuss The City We Need 2.0 - a series of key principles and recommendations for a better urban future. The City We Need 2.0 will be submitted to the UN Secretariat for Habitat III for consideration in The New Urban Agenda.